When Witchbrook, an adorable upcoming game about being a magical student, was announced, I was still a student myself. Albeit not magical, but I was a whiz with computers.
Now, those days are long gone, and I’ve been crushed and downtrodden working away at building a career for almost a decade. My memory of being a student is as distant as Witchbrook’s announcement, but with that in mind, I’m only more excited now it’s finally within our grasp.
I was 17 when it was announced, and I will be 27 when it releases this winter. Does anyone else’s back hurt?
The Magical Promises From Chucklefish Games
Way back when it was first revealed, Chucklefish spoke of it amidst the newly growing success of Stardew Valley in 2016. A game that lets you live out the life of a wizard or witch as part of a magic college, complete with life simulation, social relationships, home decoration, and the freedom to enjoy the wizarding world without the guilt of enjoying the Wizarding World created by she who will not be named.
Yes, this does mean that Stardew Valley will be ten years old next year. I know.
Initially, the style was reminiscent of Stardew Valley – in the sense that it was a top-down, pixel art life simulator. However, later news in 2018 showed a new art style, leaning towards an isometric perspective, with a more distinct pixel art style. Habbo Hotel, anyone? But any further information would be drastically minimal in the years to come.
Still, my excitement remained, and I often thought back on Witchbrook, checking the official site to see if there had been any news or movement, but I was always left empty-handed. The announcement may have been fading, but the magic never did.
Witchbrook Is Finally Coming In 2025
With March’s Nintendo Direct, I was caught off guard. I will often watch these like the bitter old man I am, getting irritated by the overly positive narrator and seeing another anime game, another farming game, and another remaster. But then, within seconds, I knew what I was looking at. It was Witchbrook.
I couldn’t believe we actually got some news on it, and not only that, but at a Nintendo Direct. Sure, Chucklefish isn’t exactly a small company, even being the publisher for Stardew Valley for many years, but after almost a decade of seeing nothing about a game I was so excited about, this was exactly what I needed to see.
And not only some news, but a date. An actual release window. Winter 2025 is when we can finally live out a life of magic lessons, broom flying, cottage customisation, and what will undoubtedly be incredible music by David Fenn.
If you’ve played Death’s Door, Titan Souls, or Moonlighter, you’ll be familiar with David Fenn’s work – and if you haven’t played those, you should.
Long Development Times Aren’t That Strange Anymore
Back in 2016, triple-A games were taking a fair few years to make compared to the previous decade, and now, that average is much higher. We’re unfortunately no strangers to waiting ten years for a game, but for a game like Witchbrook, I have confidence that time has been put in with care and caution, rather than financial demands, shouting shareholders, or whatever else leaves us with rushed decade-long triple-A games.
I can’t think of any better way to end this year than with the magic of Witchbrook, and despite me having many more years on my life since the waiting began, I’m no less excited to see it on the horizon.
Life Simulation
Farming
Casual